FIVE Ways to Make Your Kid Feel More Loved this Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for lovers. It’s for people that you just love! And who better to be the object of your affection than your kids?

Take advantage of the upcoming holiday and let your kids know how loved they are.The gesture doesn’t need to be grand or expensive, just something simple that lets them know how special they are. Even better, every time they look at your Valentine’s Day efforts, they’ll be reminded all over again how much you love them.

Make your kid a Valentine–when my daughter Ally was in the 4th grade,parents were given a red paper heart and asked to make a surprise Valentine for their child to open at the class party. As I’m not much of an artist, I covered the heart with the many reasons I love my daughter. The best part? When I asked her what she thought of the Valentine, she said, “I know you love me. But now I know WHY you love me.” Score!

Leave a sweet message in an unexpected place–include a note in their backpack, phone case or steering wheel. Add a message to the banana you’re about to pack in their lunch. Love notes are a great way to express those things that are sometimes hard to say and work particularly well with teenagers who sometimes have selective listening skills.

Make something ordinary more special: use a cookie cutter or a knife to make heart-shaped toast; set the table using the Good-Plates-that-are-Only-for-Company; serve milk in a champagne glass; put a flower from the backyard into a small glass and leave it by their bedside. It doesn’t have to be complicated to make them smile—just something out of the ordinary.

Boost their charger with love-Put the fun into functional by adding a message to the base of their phone/PC/tablet charger. In the photo below, I used nail polish, alphabet pasta and a bit of glue for the message. No alphabet pasta on hand? Just pen a message using a Sharpie or tape a little note on.

Take over their homescreen–replace their existing home screen with a picture or message. Every time they look at the device, they’ll enjoy your message all over again.

These ideas are certainly not rocket science, but if your kid heads out the door feeling a little more special, I guarantee they will have a better day. Who knows? They might even share their Sweethearts with you.